Avatar: The Last Airbender (Book 1)

Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the few shows that I can say are pretty much perfect, alongside Madoka Magica and the first three seasons of Community, though you wouldn't fully understand why just by watching its first season. Book 1 of Avatar is a really good yet fairly lighthearted introduction to the show, but it's the brilliant world building and foreshadowing for the later seasons that make it so amazing.

Everyone knows Avatar's story by now, its opening narration is pretty much iconic, but basically 100 years after the Fire Nation took over the Avatar World and the Avatar who was supposed to stop them vanished. Eventually, two kids named Katara and Sokka found the Avatar (named Aang) frozen in ice, and now it's their job to find a way to defeat the Fire Nation and save the world. Throughout this first season, Aang, Katara, and Sokka pretty much just travel around the world as they head from the South Pole to the North Pole, where they plan to have Aang master water-bending. This gives Book 1 somewhat of an episodic adventure structure, which each episode introducing a new location. Some episodes are more plot-heavy than others, but they are the exception. Most episodes this season are fairly light in tone, with some fun action scenes, goofy humor, and a charming dynamic between its main trio. However, what makes this first book so excellent despite its simplicity is the amount of world-building it manages to accomplish.

Pretty much every location visited, every new character introduced, plays an important part in the later two seasons (especially Book 3). Having the cast slowly travel north as they explore the grand and detailed world of Avatar is a genius way to slowly dole out world-building and lore episode after episode, so that the next two seasons can start playing around with the locations that have already been established earlier on in the show. It gives the sense that the creators behind Avatar have a very clear vision for their world, resulting in one of the most detailed, well-defined, and thought-out worlds in any media ever. Even better is the magic system, that being bending. There are four elements that can be used to bend, water, fire, air, and earth. Each of these elements have a completely different way of being used, and the combat styles of the respective benders are vary drastically. This results in tons of incredibly inventive action scenes as we see the different bending styles play off each other, and as the show progresses, we continue to learn new applications of bending that still fit within the show's rules.

In addition to the pretty masterful world-building, Avatar's characters are also excellent. As mentioned before, the main trio between Aang, Sokka, and Katara is really great. They all bounce off each other fairly well and it's a joy just to watch them interact. The sarcastic Sokka is a particular highlight, as he gets all the funniest lines. The villains are also great too, especially the calm and wise Iroh and the "anti-villain" Zuko. Zuko was pretty much exiled by his own father, the ruler of the Fire Nation, so he wants to capture the Avatar to prove his worth. As the season goes by, you slowly learn how conflicted he is, how awful his past was, and how much of a foil he is for Aang. It all lays the groundwork for one of the best character arcs of all time. The animation is also pretty great, though not as good as later seasons. Avatar tries an animesque style that looks really nice and expressive, and the sheer amount of detail in all of the locations just adds to the amazing world building.

There are a bunch of really strong episodes this season, particularly the ones that really further the plot:

Avatar Roku: This episode serves as the midway point for the season and it shows. It's packed with action as Team Avatar storms the Fire Nation to speak with Avatar Roku. The final act reveals just how high the stakes are for the show, along with the ultimate goal to defeat the Fire Nation before they can use the power of Sozin's Comet to rule the world. It's insane just how much of the series was laid out by the ninth episode.

The Storm: It's impressive just how much this flashback episode manages to cram in. We get flashbacks for both Zuko and Aang, confirmation that Zuko's father is the Fire Lord, a crazy action scene in a storm, and an ending that solidifies Zuko and Aang as two sides of the same coin. Avatar's flashback episodes have always been amazing, and this one in particular showed me just how great this series could get.

The Blue Spirit: This episode works as a perfect followup to The Storm, as after we see how connected Aang and Zuko's backstories are, we get to see them work together as Zuko saves Aang from being captured by the Fire Nation (likely so he can capture him himself) in one of the season's best setpieces, laying the groundwork for Zuko to have some sort of redemption arc.

The Waterbending Master: This penultimate episode finally has Team Avatar arrive at the North Pole, and it looks stunning. It does a great job of setting up for the season finale, with Zuko being presumably assassinated, while also have an entertaining main storyline of Katara trying to get in on Aang's water-bending training, resulting in a really cool water-bending fight.

Siege Of The North: This finale is just plain epic, especially for a Nickelodeon show. This whole episode is just an hour long war sequence as the Fire Nation attacks the Northern Water Tribe. The action is spectacular throughout, and the episode goes places I didn't think it would go, with the antagonist Zhao straight-up killing the moon at one point. It's emotional, exciting, and ends on some great hooks for Season 2 with the introduction of Zuko's sister Azula.

Overall, while more simplistic in nature than the later seasons, Book 1 of Avatar is an excellent start to the series with great characters and some of the most effortless world-building in any show ever. 

4/5 Stars

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

Yoshi's Island is easily one of the greatest platformers ever made, and one of the best Mario titles to date. Its fun gameplay, massive variety in levels and enemies, beautiful artstyle, and inventive bosses make it stand out as a high point in the SNES's lifespan.

Yoshi's Island has a simple enough story. It takes place soon after Mario & Luigi were just born, with the latter having been kidnapped by a young Bowser and his carekeeper Kamek. You play as a clan of Yoshis (the iconic green dinosaur) swapping out between levels as they try to return Baby Mario to his parents along with saving his brother. Yoshi's Island is built around a fun core gameplay loop: Yoshi can swallow up enemies with his tongue, turn them into eggs, and spit them out. You can use these eggs to pretty much interact with everything in the game, from defeating certain enemies, to collecting coins and flowers, to ricocheting them off walls to reach hidden areas. You can also jump, ground pound, and flutter above gaps. Yoshi is a joy to play as, with his movement being incredibly fluid. It's fun to run through levels, juggling eggs and enemies as you make your way to the end. There are even alternate items such as transformations that can turn Yoshi into vehicles, watermelons that let Yoshi spit out seeds and breath fire or ice, and a star that lets you take control of an invincible Baby Mario as he rushes through enemies.

Speaking of which, Baby Mario rides on Yoshi's back throughout the game, and if you run into an enemy, Baby Mario starts to float away in a bubble, forcing you to try and retrieve him. You have a countdown timer that decreases the longer you're without Baby Mario. This is the one part of the game I am not very fond off, as Baby Mario's screaming can be annoying and getting hit can halt the pacing of a level. Even worse, each level demands your countdown timer be at its maximum of 30 seconds to get a perfect rating, pretty much requiring you to beat every level without taking damage. There are also 5 flowers and 20 red coins in every level, that you have to collect all in one go to get a perfect score. Searching for these many collectibles is actually a lot of fun, and each level is stuffed to the brim with hidden areas and secrets that demand replaying. Beating every level in a world with a perfect score gets you a bonus level in said world, along with a minigame to get items and lives. These bonus levels are short but difficult, and are actually a very fun challenge.

Yoshi's Island's level design and enemy variety is also pretty excellent. Each level introduces at least one new gimmick, whether it's skipping eggs across water, platforms that disappear after a certain amount of steps, or 2.5D segments that are especially impressive for an SNES game. There are also a ton of enemies in the game, with many levels introducing at least one or two new creatures. Each enemy has a unique attack pattern and a different way to defeat them, and it's always a joy to try and figure out how to attack each bad guy I come across. The high point of Yoshi's Island, however, is definitely the boss fights. Each boss not only utilizes the SNES hardware to its absolute fullest, but they are all imposing threats with unique ways of defeating them. To this day, Yoshi's Island's boss fights are some of the most inventive in video game history, from a potted ghost that you have to push into a pit, to a frog that you have to fight from the inside, to a raven that you fight on the moon using anti-gravity mechanics.

And of course, I'd be remiss not to mention the artstyle, which aged pretty much timelessly. The whole game is sprited to look like a hand-drawn sketch, with tons of pastel colors and bold outlines. Despite its distinctive look, there's far more than the surface level appeal. The characters are insanely expressive, especially Yoshi himself. The levels implement three-dimensional objects and obstacles that utilize the level's background, something that seems nearly impossible for an SNES. The bosses are large and use sprite-warping while still look great today. Even more, the soundtrack by Koji Kondo is one of his absolute best. There aren't too many songs in Yoshi's Island, but all of them are catchy and memorable, and the boss themes are surprisingly dark and intense compared to the rest of the game.

Overall, I adore Yoshi's Island. Its gameplay loop is fun, its levels are inventive, and its presentation is immaculate. It's one of my favorite platformers of all time, and I highly recommend playing it if you haven't already.

5/5 Stars

Angel (Season 5)

Angel's fourth season was a pretty massive mess, but it ended on an interesting note, with Angel and his team getting an offer to work for Wolfram & Hart, the antagonists of the show. Not only was this an amazing idea, but it led to one of the best seasons of TV of all time.

Season 5 of Angel goes back to the formula of the show's first season, generally being a bit more episodic rather than having one big arc. Generally, the season focuses on Angel trying to destroy Wolfram & Hart and protect humanity from the inside. However, I think this season executes the balance between serial and standalone pretty much perfectly, including several arcs about the return of characters like Lindsay and Spike, the possession of Fred by an demon named Illyria, and the last few episodes which show Angel and his team planning out their final battle with Wolfram & Hart. Despite this otherwise grim premise, Season 5 is surprisingly light-hearted for most of it. Don't get me wrong, the dark moments are some of the darkest in the whole show, but there are tons of goofy standalone episodes and fun office hijinks scattered throughout the season. I think the change of location also works wonders for Angel, even if I did end up missing that iconic motel.

The characters are also pretty great this season too. The 100th episode is devoted to fixing Cordelia's character and giving her a beautiful sendoff, Doyle is actually brought up again and is relevant to the plot, Lindsay's disilusionment with Wolfram & Hart comes to a front, Wesley starts to warm up to the team again, and even Connor has some good moments here. The final third of Season 5 also introduces one of my favorite characters, Illyria. Despite also being played by Amy Acker, she is drastically different from Fred in pretty much every way. She only appears for about eight-or-so episodes, but Illyria manages to make a strong impact with some great character development as she deals with being human and the rest of the team's grief about Fred's death. By the finale, Illyria is fighting with Angel, Spike, and Gunn to stop an apocalypse, and it's awesome. I'm more split on Spike's appearance, however. I do think he's a fun character this season and has a great dynamic with Angel, but I think he overstayed his welcome in the Buffyverse and the appearance made his sacrifice in the Buffy finale less impactful. My only other gripe is that some standalone episodes aren't that great, but otherwise, I think this season is nearly perfect.

There are a ton of absolutely amazing episodes this season, along with one of the greatest stretches of episodes I've ever seen in a TV show:

Conviction: Generally, this is a solid premiere that lays out the themes and goals for this new season and establishes the status quo of everyone working at Wolfram & Hart. However, I think it's worth mentioning that amazing opening long take that takes the viewer around the set and shows what all of the characters are up to.

Lineage: Wesley's relationship with his abusive father is mentioned a few times in the show, but this episode puts it to the forefront as he is willing to shoot his father (actually a cyborg) to save Fred. It's a dramatic and emotional episode that showcases Wesley's development and how much he cares about Fred.

You're Welcome: My favorite episode in the whole Buffyverse and one of the best episodes of all time. This 100th episode has Cordelia return one last time to help set Angel back on the right track. I love that Lindsay is using Doyle's name, bringing his character back into importance for the first time since Season 1. The sword fight between Angel and Lindsay is a lot of fun, and Cordelia's final goodbye is absolutely devastating while also being a perfect sendoff that redeems her character after everything that happened in Season 4. You're Welcome isn't just a love letter to Angel, but to the Buffyverse as a whole.

Smile Time: Coming right before the fairly grim Illyria arc is easily the funniest episode in the whole show. Smile Time has Angel be turned into a Muppet, and it's just as hilarious as it sounds. Pretty much the whole episode is spent poking fun at Angel in this state (especially Spike), and the contrast between serious Angel and his goofy Muppet form is just perfect.

A Hole In The World: This episode is absolutely devastating to watch as Fred slowly and painfully gets transformed into Illyria, and just after she ends up with Wesley too. But while that's the moment everyone remembers, this episode also has the funny caveman vs dinosaurs argument, along with Spike's surprisingly deep "Hole In The World" speech.

Shells: Coming right after "A Hole In The World", this episode explores everyone's grief as they deal with what has happened to Fred. Illyria is already a fascinating character right from the get go, and Wesley's struggle to accept that Fred is gone is incredibly compelling. I like how the ending sets up this unique dynamic between Wesley and Illyria.

Underneath: Keep in mind that You're Welcome, Smile Time, A Hole In The World, Shells, and Underneath came out nearly back-to-back-to-back. This episode has a strange premise where Angel and the team try to save Lindsay from a suburban hell dimension. It's packed with bizarre imagery, crazy gunfights, and strange musings on introspective. It's manages to be inventive, surprising, funny, scary, thought-provoking, and action-packed all at the same time.

Not Fade Away: Angel has one of my favorite finales of all time, and despite its ambiguous ending, feels like the perfect end for the show. I love that even after signing away his motivation, Angel is still fighting his good fight even if there's no chance he'll win. Every character gets a chance to shine as they split up to tie up their own loose ends before each taking out their own member of Wolfram & Hart's inner circle. There are some shocking character deaths, fun action, and satisfying resolutions resulting in a phenomenal end to a phenomenal season.

Overall, Season 5 is probably my favorite season in the entire Buffyverse, and it's the reason why I remember Angel so highly, even with its many faults. It strikes a goofy balance between light-hearted fun, mature themes, and heart wrenching drama, with one of the greatest stretches of episodes I've ever seen in its second half. For me, it's nearly perfect.

5/5 Stars

My ranking of the Angel seasons is:

1. Season 5: Easily my favorite Buffyverse season in general. The premise is fresh and creative, the episodes are consistently solid, the tonal shifts are perfect, and the entire second half is nearly flawless.
2. Season 2: Outside of the out-of-place Pylea arc, Season 2 is a very strong season with Wolfram & Hart at its most evil leading to two of the best storylines in the show (Darla, Angel leaving).
3. Season 3: Season 3 has a lot of great elements like some iconic one-offs, Holtz being a great vllains, and a few of the darkest episodes in the show, but it doesn't all coalesce and it introduces Connor. 
4. Season 1: Lacking a concrete villain or serialized narrative, Season 1 feels a bit aimless, but it also has plenty of great episodes as well as a fantastic season finale.
5. Season 4: Angelus and Faith were great, but the rest of the season is an absolute dumpster fire made even worse after hearing what went on behind the seasons. One of my least favorite seasons ever.

My ranking of the Angel finales is:

1. Not Fade Away: A nearly perfect season finale. The final battle is written so that everyone gets a moment to shine, all of the emotional farewells land, and the ambiguous ending is genius.
2. Home: As bad as Season 4 was, this episode did a lot to undo its awfulness and the decision to have Angel's team work for Wolfram & Hart led to the show's best season by a mile.
3. To Shanshu In LA: Even with how episodic Season 1 was, To Shanshu In LA does a lot to completely blow up the status quo, all thanks to a one-off demon we never see again.
4. Tomorrow: Tomorrow is a really great cliffhanger-palooza on its own, but it's hard to separate it with all of the awful Season 4 storylines that it ends up setting up.
5. There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb: While the Pylea arc was fun, it didn't really feel like a finale and this episode was no different.

Favorite Episode: You're Welcome

Firefly

It's a real shame Firefly got cancelled as early as it did, as it really had all of the potential to be a massive hit. Strong characters, a creative premise, and great dialogue (which was expected given that it was made by the people behind Buffy) was all there from the start, resulting in what could have been an amazing first season if properly finished.

Firefly's first season didn't really last long enough to have much of a main storyline. Firefly is about a crew on a transport ship called Serenity, headed by Malcolm Reynolds. In the first episode, they pick up a pair of siblings, Simon and River, the latter of which was subject to human experimentation that left her pretty much fractured. The mystery of what happened to River and her struggle to fit in with Mal's crew is the main driving plot of this season, and it even manages to be pretty much completely resolved by the end despite it getting cut short. Firefly is essentially a space-western, taking place in a sci fi universe inspired by the Wild West, and it's really cool. There's a lot of neat world-building including an original language, a neat blend of cultures, and tons of little details in pretty much every scene. There's a reason why Firefly's universe is so well-liked today, and it's because of how much thought was put into its world-building.

Since most of Firefly's episodes are mostly standalone (and even aired out of order at first), the real star of the show for this truncated season are the characters, all of whom are incredibly likable and fun to watch. Mal is an incredibly charismatic lead, as played by Nathan Fillon. Zoe and Wash are entertaining and snarky, with the latter of which heading one of the funniest and smartest-written scenes in the show (something to do with dinosaurs). Jayne is a fascinating mercenary whose serious personality leads to some funny moments. Kaylee is absolutely adorable and adds some positivity to the show. And then there's River Tam, one of my favorite characters in any TV show. Summer Glau's acting throughout Firefly is amazing, and River's character development along with the mysteries about her condition are immensely compelling. It helps that she is an absolute badass in some of the later episodes. Even with its short length, Firefly already managed to introduce an utterly amazing cast of characters.

There were a few episodes that managed to stand out among the pack:

Out Of Gas: For a flashback episode, this was probably the best episode of the show. It was a lot of fun to see how Mal and his crew first formed, and the juxtaposition of the more light-hearted flashbacks with Mal struggling to save his ship led to a really poignant outing for the show.

Ariel: This was Firefly's attempt at a heist episode, and it was a really fun one at that. There was a lot of tense moments and fun action, along with some interesting reveals about River's condition. I also liked that Jayne was so willing to betray Mal and the crew for even more money, it paints him as a dangerous and unpredictable character that could have been explored so much more if the show lasted longer.

Objects In Space: For a final episode of a incomplete season, Objects In Space works surprisingly well. It's very introspective, with a lot of pinings on existentialism, especially from the amazing villain Jubal Early. Despite this, it's a tense episode about a bounty hunter sneaking onto the ship, and does a solid job of giving River a lot of development. 

Overall, I enjoyed the first (and only) season of Firefly. I like the space western concept, and the world-building and cast is great. However, the season reeks of wasted potential that just left me sad that Fox ended up handling it as poorly as it did.

4/5 Stars

Favorite Episode: Out Of Gas

Angel (Season 4)

Angel's fourth season is easily the most ambitious one yet, containing one long serial story with apocalypses, godlike figures, cults, subterranean armies, possession, zombie attacks, magic fights, and six episodes worth of Angelus. While this all sounds awesome, it really does not work in the slightest.

Season 4 starts off on a strong note with a well-written premiere that addresses the many cliffhangers of the Season 3 finale, which had Angel trapped under the ocean and Cordelia ascend to a higher plane. The first few episodes of the season weren't even that awful, a solid balance of plot progression and creative standalones. Wesley's darker characterization continues from Season 3 and it's probably one of the best parts of the season. It's the seventh episode where cracks start to show, however, with the season's initial villain named The Beast arriving and starting an apocalypse in Los Angeles. This is cool and all, but then the episode ends with Cordelia having sex with Angel's son Conner (who's even more annoying this season). Given the fact that Cordelia and Angel had feelings for each other back in Season 3, and that Connor is still pretty much a teenager, don't you see why that might be a bit of a problem?

The apocalypse storyline isn't nearly as compelling as it should be, as the depressing tone and overly angsty characters made it a chore to watch, at least until Angelus appears. Eventually, Angel decides to bring out Angelus to defeat The Beast, and this decision revitalizes the season, at least for a bit. The Beast is defeated and Faith and Willow appear for some time to help Angelus return back to normal, which is also pretty fun. Faith is an especially likable character here, as she finally manages to get over her self-hatred and redeem herself. However, throughout this portion of the season, Cordelia has been acting more and more out-of-character, sleeping with Connor, killing Lilah, and even doing magic. Cordelia had been one of my favorite characters, so it was horrible to see her completely lose everything that made her compelling.

Nearing the final third of the season, we learn that Cordelia was possessed the whole time so she could sleep with Connor and give birth to a goddess named Jasmine, and all of the events of Angel led to this sole event. As a plot point, this sucks. I despise these sorts of retcons since it feels like they removed the characters of all their agency throughout the last four seasons (seven if you include Buffy!). But then there's the context of why this plot was conceived to begin with. If you thought Daphne's fat camp in Frasier was a bad way to deal with a pregnant cast member, this was so much worse. But hey, Cordelia's not possessed anymore, so now she'll be back to normal self right? Nope! Cordelia falls into a coma after the possession ends, meaning that all of her that we saw this season was an unlikable and gross possessed version of her. Jasmine wasn't a great villain either, as we ended up getting an entire story arc about her brainwashing all of Los Angeles that felt way too overlong and dull. Thankfully, the last two episodes were a massive improvement, as the final battle with Jasmine was actually really exciting, and the finale pulled off an amazing twist that had Angel & Co working for Wolfram & Hart.

As you can see by this insanely long summary, I am very split on this season. I really like the start and end of Season 4, along with the Faith and Angelus arcs, but everything else is just so bad. What the show did to Cordelia is one of the worst character assassinations I've ever seen in a TV show, the retcon was probably even worse, and my god, poor Charisma Carpenter. The characters spent most of the season being depressed and angsty (especially Connor), which was fine in Season 6 of Buffy because it was about dealing with depression, but here it made the worst parts of the season feel like even more of a slog. As much as I like about this season, I can't help but look at it with spite. I love the Buffyverse, but Angel's fourth season was a massive misstep and easily the worst thing both shows ever did.

I'm going to do something different for my notable episodes list, as this season has just as many absolutely amazing episodes as it had unforgivably horrible, so I'm going to list them both. Here are the good episodes this season:

Spin The Bottle: One of the few fun episodes in the whole series. Similarly to Tabula Rasa, (though not as good) it wipes everyone's memory, but this time has the cast revert to their high school selves. It's a hilarious and loving tribute to the early seasons of Buffy and how much the cast developed since then, only for the show completely wreck several character arcs starting next episode. Yay.

Soulless: Angelus is a joy to watch in this season, but I think Soulless is his best usage of him. He spends most of this episode in confinement, toying with the other members of the team trying to get information from him. What results is an incredibly compelling psychological thriller that has Angelus pretty much manipulate the rest of the cast in devastating ways.

Salvage: Faith finally returns, having changed a lot from her time in prison, and lends the season some much needed energy. Her prison break is probably her finest action setpiece that doesn't have to do with Buffy, and the episode ends on a stunning note where Angelus actually manages to defeat The Beast, thus ending the apocalypse that has been dragging down the show these past few episodes. 

Orpheus: And in case the Angelus arc just wasn't amazing enough, Orpheus has Willow arrive to help them bring Angel back to normal! I'm not a fan of Cordelia's arc this season, but even I can admit her magic battle with Willow is just plain amazing. Meanwhile, Faith and Angelus go on an exploration of Angel's development into a decent person, culminating in an awesome fight between Angel and Angelus, and Faith pretty much completing her redemption arc. This episode's just way too good for this season.

Home: This is one of the most genius moves I've ever seen a show take. Having the leads work for the bad guys? That's so cool! And it leads to one of my favorite seasons of any show ever. It also does a good job at course correcting the disastrous character arcs for Connor and Cordelia, and I thought the reveal that Angel and the team had screwed up the world so much by the end of the season that they got an offer to work at Wolfram & Hart was darkly hilarious.

And here are the awful episodes this season:

Apocalypse, Nowish: This is the episode where the troubles began. I actually really like Wesley joining the team again and the big action scene with The Beast, but that final scene sticks out in the mind as one of the worst scenes in the whole show. Cordelia and Connor sleeping together is gross, and the fact that an apocalypse was playing out in the background just made it even worse somehow.

Inside Out: Easily the worst episode in the whole Buffyverse. The reveal about everything all leading to Jasmine's birth completely invalidates the actually good first three seasons. Apparently this storyline was an overly complicated way of dealing with Charisma Carpenter's real life pregnancy, and wow, that is absolutely not how to address one of your actresses' pregnancies!

Shiny Happy People/The Magic Bullet: The Jasmine arc had a few goofy moments here in there, I think the light-hearted tone was a breath of fresh air, but it was just so overwhelmingly boring. It took three episodes for the whole team to finally break away from Jasmine's control when it should have been one.

The nicest thing I could say about Season 4 of Angel was that it's a mess. I can admire its ambition, and its pretty phenomenal Angelus arc, but so much of the season is occupied by my least favorite storylines in the series, some horrible character assassinations, and a retcon that single-handedly ruins the past three seasons. This isn't the worst season of television I've ever seen, but it was such a miserable viewing experience that I can easily call it one of my least favorites.

2/5 Stars

Angel (Season 3)

While it struggles to reach the heights of Season 2, Angel's third season is probably its most consistent season yet, with a great balance between a solid main storyline and some of the best standalone episodes in the whole show.

Season 3 of Angel is based around the return of Holtz, a vampire hunter who wants revenge for Angel killing his entire family, along with Darla learning she's pregnant with Angel's son after they had sex back in Season 2. Holtz is probably my favorite villain of the whole show. His intensity and desperation to get revenge is compelling, and the best part about him is that he actually wins. By the end of the season, Darla's dead and he stole Angel's son Connor and raised him in another dimension, convincing him that Angel is bad and that he should die. Unlike Season 2, the side characters also get some great subplots, from Cordelia dealing with her visions eating away at her health, Wesley hitting rock bottom after being unable to save Connor, and Fred struggling to find her place in Angel's team. Even the standalone episodes are some of the best in the show, from Cordelia's bizarre journey in Birthday, to Summer Glau's stunning debut in Waiting In The Wings, and one of the scariest villains of the whole show in Billy. None of these episodes reach the heights of, say, Reunion, but it leads what's generally a very consistently strong and confident third season for the show.

While all of this stuff sounds awesome on paper, Season 3 also has one glaring problem, that being Connor himself. The first arc up to Darla's death and Connor's birth is pretty solid, with some strong standalones focused on Fred, Gunn, and Lilah. However, once Connor is born, the cracks start to show. Connor as a baby is fine, albeit annoying having to watch Angel and his team drop everything to take care of a kid. However, once Connor returns from the dimension as a teenager/young adult, he becomes insufferable. His refusal to listen to Angel, constant complaining, and inability to develop as a character is annoying as hell, and he gets even worse next season. He has some compelling moments in his three-episode arc at the end of the season, but generally, he absolutely drags down pretty much every episode he's in. I complain a lot about how characters having kids can negatively impact a story, but Connor is probably the worst example of that.

There are a lot of high points in Season 3, however, with some of the best standalone and plot-heavy episodes in the show:

Fredless: This episode draws a lot of comparison to Buffy's "Family", both of which focus on a relatively new side character (Fred/Tara) trying to figure out their place among their respective teams, resulting in one of the most heartwarming episodes of their respective shows. The group dynamic in the first half of Angel's third season is incredibly fun to watch, and it's great to see Fred having fully recovered from her time in Pylea.

Billy: I haven't brought up Lilah much since she's not the most important character, but she's a fun anti-villain who slowly develops a strong affiliation with Angel and his team, and absolutely kicks ass in this episode. The storyline is about a guy who can infect other men with misogyny which, despite a fairly obvious message, is genuinely terrifying and feels like it's straight out of the X-Files. Not to mention that the acting is pretty amazing all around, especially from Carpenter and Denisof.

Lullaby: The initial story arc of Season 3 is resolved here with an intense chase from Holtz, who's absolute determination is terrifying (that Caritas explosion!). Darla sacrificing herself to save Connor is a devastating scene, and Angel being forced to take care of a baby while still in pursuit by Holtz is an interesting cliffhanger to end off on.

Waiting In The Wings: I think the general storyline and focus on romantic subplots is just okay, for the most part. However, this episode is very noteworthy for being Summer Glau's first role, and she absolutely kills it with her amazing dancing and compelling acting. If it wasn't for this episode, we wouldn't get River Tam, so it deserves all the praise it can get.

Sleep Tight/Forgiving: In case Reunion wasn't enough of a drama bomb, Sleep Tight has Wesley steal Connor only to get his throat slit and lose the baby to Holtz, who flees to another dimension. It's shocking just far and brutal this episode ends up. And then there's Forgiving, which shows the devastating fallout of these events and culminates with the shocking smothering attempt that irrevocably changes Wesley's character (probably for the better).

The Price: I'm a big fan of episodes that start out simple and light only to become really plot relevant. The main storyline about a light bug infestation is cute and fun enough, but then Cordelia reveals a secret demon power she never knew she had... and Wesley's disillusioned nature really makes itself apparent... and Connor returns from the dimension all grown up and turned against Angel. My jaw was dropped by the end of the episode. Also props for the cheesy CGI slow-motion fight with Connor at the start of the next episode.

Tomorrow: I'm split on this finale, for the most part. I love how much changed, from Lorne and Groo leaving, to Wesley sleeping with Lilah, to Cordelia's ascension to a higher plane. I also really like the Shakespearean nature of this episode, and a general sense of dread that it was going to end on a tragedy. However, this finale also introduced many of the storylines that would result in the absolute disaster that was Season 4 (more on that next review), and is just plain uncomfortable to watch now.

Overall, Season 3 of Angel has some amazing standalones, a fairly consistent level of quality, and a compelling villain, but it doesn't reach the heights of Season 2 and suffers from the introduction of a character that proceeds to drag down the whole show. 

4/5 Stars

Angel (Season 2)

Angel's second season feels like a massive improvement on the first that takes a more serialized turn, fleshing out the show's main villain, while also exploring its lead in some interesting new ways, despite a generally disjointed structure.

Season 2 of Angel is far more serialized than the first, exploring several storylines throughout the season. Most of the season focuses around Wolfram & Hart, which was initially a background villain in Season 1, but as of its finale, became a much stronger antagonistic force. The first ten episodes form a storyline about Angel discovering that Darla, a vampire from Season 1 of Buffy, has been brought back to life by Wolfram & Hart. It's probably the strongest stretch of the season, focusing on Angel's past as a soulless vampire and his relationship with Darla, balancing fun standalone stories and a compelling overarching plotline. It introduces Lorne, an incredibly likable side character with some strong comic relief, and culminates in a massive episode where Darla is sired by Drusilla and goes on a rampage, so Angel locks them in a room with the lawyers from Wolfram & Hart and fires all of his friends out of fear that he's falling into darkness. 

The next six episodes deal with the fallout, as Angel investigates on his own only to realize that using evil to combat evil isn't the best idea. It's not as strong of a storyline compared to that first arc, with some weak standalone episodes and Darla pretty much disappearing from the season, but it still has its general high points, some great development for Lorne, and some of the most thought-provoking themes in the show. However, the last few episodes is where my major gripes with Season 2 come in, that being its structure. The first arc is fine enough, albeit with a bit too many episodes entirely focused on flashback sequences, but by the time Angel rejoins with his team, there are six episodes left in the season. And after two decent episodes which tie up loose ends, we get a four-episode-long arc about the team visiting Lorne's home planet, Pylea. The Pylea arc is a decent stretch of episodes that introduces some important characters, particularly Fred, and fleshes out the cast, but coming after an entire, really dark, season focused on Wolfram & Hart, this arc just feels tonally disjointed. Angel's entire second season just felt segmented and without a main goal, which causes it to feel less than the sum of its really great parts.

There are a lot of great episodes in Season 2 however, pretty much scattered throughout the whole season:

Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been: I'm split on this episode. As a part of the season, this is just the second episode and we already get an entire flashback, and one that doesn't even impact the plot, at that. However, on its own merits, this is one of the best episodes of the whole show, telling an affecting and thought-provoking standalone story about Angel's past and sets up many of the themes that would be explored for the first two-thirds of the season.

Guise Will Be Guise: While Wesley was fairly annoying in his earlier appearances, Guise Will Be Guise focuses pretty much entirely on him and introduces his potential to be a really badass demon fighter. It's kind of like "The Zeppo" from Buffy, but this time, the development really starts to stick for the rest of the series. Coming here after watching the second half of Angel shows how much of the building blocks for Wesley's development was laid here.

The Trial: This was a very tense episode as Angel has to partake in three difficult trials to win Darla a second chance at life. I'm a big fan of these "three trials storylines", I know Indiana Jones does it a lot, and Angel's version of it is fun as well. I'm also a big fan of the ending cliffhanger where Drusilla appears and sires Darla.

Reunion: Easily Angel's best episode thus far, and probably the best episode it will have for the next season-or-so. It has pretty much everything, a crazy car chase, some shocking twists, and an absolutely mind-blowing ending that left me wondering if Angel had just killed off all of Wolfram & Hart right there and then.

Reprise/Epiphany: This two-parter of sorts is Angel at its most introspective, pretty much revolving around exploring Angel's motivations for trying to save humanity. The most memorable and impactful scene is Angel being taken on an elevator to hell only for the elevator to go pretty much nowhere (implying Earth is hell), but there's also his epiphany and subsequent reunion with the team, Kate's depressing sendoff, and the massive Reprise cliffhanger that leaves you wondering if Angel became Angelus again (thankfully, he didn't).

Pylea Arc: I already mentioned by issues with this storyline, but there are things I like about it. Cordelia and Wesley get some amazing character development after not getting much focus this season, Fred is one of my favorite characters and finally debuts here (even if her appearance isn't indicative of her role for the rest of the show), and I love that cliffhanger where Willow shows up to tell Angel that Buffy died. 

Overall, Angel is a definitive improvement over the first with its darker tone and serialized storyline, and at its best, it's some of the best Angel in the whole series. However, it suffers from a disjointed structure and a final arc that doesn't fit very well with the rest of the season.

4/5 Stars

A Silent Voice

K-On is one of my favorite anime of all time for a lot of reasons, but part of it is the amazing direction from Naoko Yamada. So, when I found out that A Silent Voice was directed by the same person, I was very excited to check it out, and it totally lived up to my expectations. A Silent Voice is one of the most impactful films I've seen in a long while, and solidifies Yamada is my favorite anime director of them all.

A Silent Voice is built around a simple but effective premise, in which Shoya tries to befriend the deaf girl Shoko who he bullied throughout elementary school. It's essentially a feature-length redemption arc, and a great one at that. The movie starts with a series of flashbacks to the aforementioned elementary school days, a very impactful sequence because of how realistically the bullying that occurs is, both in regards to the bullying towards Shoko and the ostracizing of Shoya soon afterwards. In high school, Shoya and Shoko reunite and the attempt to make amends begins. A Silent Voice executes this redemption storyline incredibly well because of how it never quite feels like a straight line. Shoya messes up just as often as he makes progress, and the film never portrays his journey as easy in any way. Making things even harder is the fact that both Shoya and Shoko blame themselves for what happened at elementary school, and the movie does a great job of exploring these feelings of guilt and self-hatred, resulting in some of the most resonant moments of them all. A Silent Voice is a very emotional film that juggles a lot of themes, from redemption to anxiety to guilt to depression to bullying to dealing with disabilities, I feel like there's something everyone can relate to in some way when watching it.

It's not just the main duo that's great, however. The side characters are all fairly fleshed-out and interesting, particularly Yuzuru, Shoko's little sister who's dealing with far more than it may initially seem. The main issue with A Silent Voice is the fact that it was based off of a fairly sizable manga, meaning that obviously some moments got cut out and the pacing felt a bit fragmented at times. As someone who didn't read the manga, I thought the film worked perfectly fine on its own merits and the creators did a good job at telling a cohesive and satisfying story, even if some of the characters weren't as fleshed-out as they could've been. The script and visuals even manage to include some more subtle details throughout the film, and trusts the viewer with piecing some important facts together without explicitly stating them. I'm sure that if I were to watch it again, there would be many more details I ended up completely missing. The emotional moments also manage to hit hard pretty much every time, whether it's heartwarming like the amusement park scene and the last ten-or-so minutes, or devastating like the opening sequence.

A Silent Voice's storyline is already emotional on its own, but it's Yamada's amazing direction that elevates the film and continuously impressed me throughout. Just like in K-On, the animation is really detailed and fluid, and all of the characters have their own distinct way of moving that perfectly exemplifies their character. Despite the generally grounded nature of the story, there are plenty of impactful visuals that wouldn't have felt as powerful if it was in live-action, particularly the well-known Xs on everyone's face and how they fall off and regenerate as Shoya's relationships with the other characters develop. The framing is also pretty amazing too, resulting in many visually striking scenes, particularly the several important bridge scenes and the fireworks scene. Another excellent carry-over from K-On is how the colors mute whenever the tone gets darker and more serious. The score is subdued but works perfectly for the film, especially in the most emotional and intense moments.

Overall, I loved A Silent Voice. It was an emotional rollercoaster with a strong cast and phenomenal direction from Yamada, and its many thought-provoking themes can resonate with a lot of people.

5/5 Stars

Angel (Season 1)

Buffy's third season ended with a massive change, as half of the cast went off to the college and the other half essentially carried over to a spinoff show based around the brooding vampire Angel. For a spinoff, Angel is actually really great, managing to balance its darker tone with the same sharp writing you've come to expect from the Buffyverse.

Interestingly enough, Angel's first season doesn't have much of a story arc like Buffy does. The season starts with Angel forming a team with Cordelia and a seer named Doyle to help people who can't help themselves, though Doyle ends up dying halfway through the season and is replaced by Wesley from Buffy. There's also a villainous law firm named Wolfram & Hart which is responsible for many of the threats Angel has to deal with, though they mostly stay in the backdrop. And as usual for these types of vigilante shows, there's a police officer named Kate who slowly becomes more disillusioned with Angel upon learning that he's a vampire. Outside of these threads, this first season mostly consists of standalone episodes, many of which are much darker than those in Buffy, particularly the iconic exorcism episode.  

Generally, I think Angel got off to a much better start than Buffy did, especially its strong pilot that already had a sense of what the show wanted to be right from the get-go. My biggest problem with Angel, however, is its reliance on characters from previous shows. There are tons of Buffy crossovers, with characters like Spike, Faith, and even Buffy herself making appearances. Those episodes are great and all, but they're also the best episodes in the season and it's not even close. The newer characters fare much worse, especially Doyle, who I felt was a bad fit in the cast. It's nice to have an optimistic foil for Angel, but I thought their dynamic just felt forced, and I never really grew to care about him until the episode where he dies. The other new characters like Lindsay and Gunn do have a lot of potential, but they also didn't appear too much and haven't had much room to grow. Angel, Wesley, and Cordelia are easily the best characters so far, continuing from where their character arcs in Buffy left off, which basically means that this first season just feels like more of Buffy than its own thing.

There are still a lot of strong episodes this season, at least way more than in Buffy's first season:

I Will Remember You: This episode was a fascinating "what if?" scenario that's heartbreaking and impactful, as Angel finally gets a chance at humanity and to be with Buffy. However, as you'd expect, he ends up giving up his chance at happiness in one of the saddest scenes in the whole Buffyverse.

Hero: I didn't care much for Doyle, but even I thought his sacrifice was devastating. The decision to kill off a main character nine episodes in was a risky but brilliant move, and at least Doyle went out with a bang. Keep in mind that this episode came out right after "I Will Remember You" too.

Five By Five: This was the episode that made me absolutely love Faith, coming right after Buffy's own Faith two-parter. It's a heartwrenching analysis of Faith's own self-loathing even as she's tasked with assassinating Angel culminating in that phenomenal scene in the rain where Faith completely breaks down.

Sanctuary: Resolving Faith's character arc throughout these two seasons, Buffy returns one last time to get her revenge. It's interesting to see Buffy as an antagonistic force this time around, and the character drama between everyone is very engrossing. Faith turning herself in is a good start to her redemption arc, and the final argument between Angel and Buffy is both cathartic and hard to watch.

To Shanshu In LA: Despite the episodic nature of this season, they manage to end things on a very strong note that wraps up all of the character arcs and plot points. The Vocah demon is an imposing demon that really manages to shake up the dynamics of the show, Darla's reappearance is an exciting bit of fanservice, and the introduction of the Shanshu prophecy finally gives the show a driving force. Even on a completely different show, Buffy's writers know how to end a season on a strong note.

Overall, the first season of Angel was a solid first outing for the series with a dark tone that differentiates itself from Buffy. However, it did have a very slow start, and the new characters are far less compelling than the carry-overs from Buffy.

3/5 Stars

Fringe (Season 5)

Just like Season 4, Fringe's fifth season took a massive risk by completely changing the storyline to that of a science-fiction war, along with removing all standalone episodes whatsoever. I think it worked well enough, especially as a final season, though it also feels disconnected from the rest of Fringe.

"Letters Of Transit" was probably the best episode of Season 4, an intriguing flashforward that set-up the events of what seemed like an ambitious Season 5 where the Fringe Division is tasked with preventing an Observer takeover after being encased in amber until 2036. Generally, I think it's a cool concept and executed well here. The Observers are imposing villains (especially Captain Whidmark, who terrifies me every time he comes on screen), and the conflict never feels overwhelmingly against the heroes, but I also feel like the season falls into repetitious cliche at times with its resistance storyline. Having a final season take place after such a massive time jump is always a risky choice as it could potentially feel disconnected from the rest of the show, and it's probably this season's biggest problem. There are tons of moments where I felt like this just wasn't the Fringe I was used to, and the lack of cases of the week definitely compounds that fact. Thankfully, the dramatic elements of the season are still compelling enough on their own right, and the season as a whole feels fast-paced, action-packed, and intense throughout despite how different it is from the rest of the show.

The character work was also mixed, as on one hand, I did really like how the season focused on the core quartet, and the last few episodes ended all of their storylines on a strong note. However, I wasn't a fan of plot decisions like Walter's failing memory and especially Observer Peter. I also feel like Etta and Simon's early deaths were wastes of likable and fresh characters, and the lack of alternate universe appearances was a shame given that it was my favorite aspect of the show. One thing I did really like about the season was the visuals. The observer world was just as unique and fleshed-out as in "Letters Of Transit", and the show experimented with some really trippy effects, especially in the MC Escher and LSD episodes. Speaking of which, the quality of "Black Blotter" onwards was pretty top-notch, probably because of all that buildup finally paying off. I'm not a massive fan of the Reset Button ending that mostly invalidated the whole season, but I think it was the best way to end this storyline, and the sheer amount of fanservice in the final two episodes made it more than worth it. It also felt more like a "series finale" than Season 4's attempt.

Despite my gripes with Season 5, however, it did have a lot of strong and dramatic episodes, especially near the end:

Black Blotter: This season's heavy serialization and shorter length meant that it rarely had the time to experiment like in Seasons 3 & 4. Thankfully, Black Blotter was a breath of fresh air in this regard, depicting Walter's LSD trip with effects, bizarre imagery, and a goofy Monty Python segment. This was also the episode where the Inner Child finally reappears after his name-dropping a few episodes ago.

Anomoly XB-6783746: This episode is a heart-breaking farewell to one of Fringe's most enigmatic and intriguing characters. Nina's final confrontation with Whidmark is incredibly intense, and its amazing that she managed to hold out as well as she did. There's also the great reveal that Donald is actually September.

Liberty: The second half of this episode is easily the high point of the whole season. Finally, we get to catch up with the characters in the alternate universe, who were greatly missed this season. Even more, the universe-swapping third act is some of the most exciting action Fringe has ever had. 

An Enemy Of Fate: I never like Reset Buttons in TV, but An Enemy Of Fate did it fairly well. The Observer future was so bleak that this was the best way to resolve it, and I'm glad it came at the cost of Walter and Michael. The emotional impact of this episode was definitely there through all of its references to the series past, and the final battle with Whidmark was incredibly fun and tense. I especially love the scene where the Observers suffer from all the Fringe events we've seen these past few seasons.

Overall, I have mixed opinions on Fringe's fifth season. It stayed compelling and tense throughout and stuck the landing pretty well, but it felt disconnected from the rest of the show and had some iffy character decisions.

4/5 Stars

My ranking of the Fringe seasons is:

1 < 2 < 5 < 3 < 4

My ranking of Fringe's season finales is:

3 < 4 < 5 < 1 < 2 

Spyro: Reignited Trilogy

The PlayStation is known for a lot of things, but something that I feel neglects to be mentioned a lot of the time is just how much of a platforming juggernaut it was during its first and second iterations, from Crash to Ratchet & Clank to Sly Cooper. My favorite of the Sony platforming mascots, however, was always Spyro The Dragon for its unique blend of linear obstacle courses and open fields of collectibles. The Spyro: Reignited Trilogy is a pretty excellent remake of the original three games, filled with content and loving detail.

Since this is a trilogy, this review will be split into three games:

Spyro The Dragon

The first Spyro game is easily the most unique of the trilogy, lacking any side quests, mini games, or bonus challenges compared to the latter two games. Pretty much the entire game is built around running around open levels, collecting gems and saving all of the dragons. While I've heard complaints about this one being more repetitive than the other entries, I think the core gameplay loop of running around and collecting things is still incredibly addictive in its own right, and I quite like the narrow focus on platforming. I'd still say this is the easiest game in the trilogy since you don't have to deal with any abrupt gameplay shifts, but the platforming is the most complex and demanding it has ever been.

Since this is the first game in the series, the level design is generally more simplistic than the latter games, but it's still a blast to explore. Many of the early stages like Stone Hill, Town Square, and Cliff Town let you break what you'd have assumed to be the boundaries of the level to find gems, while the later more complex stages force you to pull off some incredibly difficult yet rewarding supercharge/glide tricks to get some of the dragons. My favorite stage is easily Tree Tops solely for how tough but satisfying it is to 100%. The bosses are a bit too rudimentary though, as they mostly involve landing a hit and then chasing the boss to their next arena. Metalhead is probably the best boss of the bunch, as it actually involves a level of strategy and puzzle-solving that helps it stand out. On the other hand of the spectrum, the final boss Gnasty Gnorc is a glorified chase scene, and a tedious one at that with a lack of checkpoints that make it easily the weakest part of the game.

Generally, this game benefitted the most from the remake, since Spyro's controls feel just a bit smoother here, and you can control the camera with the right stick. I do think the flying controls aren't as sharp in the Reignited Trilogy, but it's not as big of an issue compared to some of the more demanding flying stages in later games. The addition of skill points add some bonus content, most of which is fairly manageable as it either involves exploring the levels or beating bosses without getting hit. While I love the original game's dreamlike low-poly look, I can't deny that the visual upgrade we got here is downright stunning, especially in the mountain-top Magic Crafters and the sky-loft Dream Weavers. Spyro 1 also has easily my favorite soundtrack of the three games, though while the remade music is fine enough, I'm glad you can swap to Stewart Copeland's original compositions, which are still a truly beautiful love letter to progressive rock that holds up as one of the most unique video game soundtracks of all time.

Spyro The Dragon gets 4/5 Stars 

Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage

I tend to go back and forth on which Spyro game is my favorite, they're all relatively equal in quality for me. However, in the case of the Reignited Trilogy, Ripto's Rage was hands down the weakest of the bunch. It makes an incredibly strong first impression, though. The game has more of a story this time around, with a likable cast of characters and far more world-building. Each level has its own species with their own problem that Spyro needs to help solve, helping them all stand out from each other. And right from the very first level, Glimmer, you can already tell just how much more complex this game is going to be. There are side quests, power ups, and even new abilities like climbing, swimming, and double jumping. Coming to this right after playing the first game feels great. Some of my favorite levels in Ripto's Rage like Colossus, Scorch, Mystic Marsh, and Metropolis are better than some of the best levels in the original, as they are far more ambitious and complex. Ripto's Rage also introduces minigames and side quests, and a lot of these can be a ton of fun. Highlights for me include the hockey game in Colossus, the supercharge race in Robotica Farms, and even the trolley in Breeze Harbor (that's right, I like the trolley).

However, for every good minigame, there's a pretty frustrating one. Stuff like the escort mission in Fracture Hills, the crystal popcorn in Magma Cone, and the turtle soup in Sunny Beach rank as some of the lowest points in the series and drag down an otherwise really great game. Most of Ripto's Rage circumvents this issue by only requiring you to beat each level to progress, but then it blindsides you by putting a orb gate right before the final boss, meaning you'll have to do some of those more annoying minigames to beat the game. It doesn't help that the remade version of Ripto's Rage probably faced the biggest downgrade in terms of gameplay. The minigames all use the main behind-the-back camera rather than some using a top-down camera which can make certain minigames unnecessarily harder (especially that aforementioned turtle game), the swimming controls are more stiff too, and worst of all, the camera during the boss fights feels bizarrely finicky, turning what was previously a super great lineup of boss fights into big roadblocks and difficulty spikes.

Ripto's Rage has always been a mix of high points that are some of the best in the whole series and its low points that rank among the worst, but the remake only exacerbated it. It's still Spyro, and a polished 3D platformer at that, but where in the original trilogy I'd rank it right alongside the other two entries, in the Reignited Trilogy, it's an easy outlier.

Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage gets 4/5 Stars

Spyro 3: Year Of The Dragon

Year Of The Dragon is absolutely phenomenal, even compared to the other two games. It has some of the most complex level design in the series, a strong balance of variety and consistency, and a pretty much perfect progression system. YoTD feels like a perfect balance of the first two games. The enemies drop gems just like the original, and pretty much every accomplishment is tied together through the same collectable system: Eggs. You still need to beat every level to unlock the next world, but doing pretty much anything whether it's beating the level, playing challenge rooms, or just simply exploring will net you an egg. You can pretty much pick and choose whichever eggs you want, as long as you have 100/150 to unlock the final boss, which allows for a bit more freedom than the previous game's required 40/64 orbs.

Just like Ripto's Rage, there are still side quests and mini games, maybe even moreso this time due to the increased amount of characters to play as. There's an additional five characters this time around, and while none of them are as fun as Spyro, I don't hate any of them either. It helps that rather than being weaved into the levels like in the second game, the mini games are only contained in these separate challenge rooms. Not only do they help the levels feel much larger, but it also prioritizes the Spyro gameplay above everyone else. The core levels are also some of the best in the series, especially in the latter half of the game. Some highlights include Firework Factory, where you can fight ninjas and shoot down dragons,  Haunted Tomb, which packs in tons of tricky riddles and platforming segments, and Frozen Altars, which gives you ice breath to use just for one level.

The story is also the best in the series for me, probably due to the character development of Bianca, who starts out as one of the main villains, but eventually becomes one of the good guys. The boss fights are also great, especially Scorch who's so imposing he straight-up throws one of the previous bosses at you. The soundtrack is not as good as the first, but a close second with some serious high points and my personal favorite song in the series, Fireworks Factory. Once again, though, most of my issues with this game come from the remake. To be fair, Reignited does improve on certain aspects, particularly with the visuals once again, and most of the alternate characters (especially Agent 9) controlling leagues better. However, the flight and swimming issues are still there, some of the minigames were made harder, and strangely enough, Year Of The Dragon was way more buggy than any of the other games, even crashing at one point. Aside from the bugs, though, these downgrades didn't detract from my experience as much as in Ripto's Rage. Nothing was as swimming-heavy as Aquaria Towers, and the way progression works means you're punished a lot less for skipping out on a minigame or flying segment you're not a fan of. As a result, at least in terms of the Reignited versions, Spyro 3 is my definite favorite.

Oh, and you can beat up Moneybags (the bear who takes all your gems in the latter two games), so it's gonna be an automatic 10/10 anyway.

Spyro 3: Year Of The Dragon gets 5/5 Stars

Overall, this isn't a perfect recreation of the Spyro trilogy, and there are plenty of cases where the original games were just better, mostly in terms of the camera, certain aspects of the control, and general polish. However, I think the positive changes far outweigh the negatives, with the Reignited Trilogy's beautiful artstyle, excellent attention to detail, increased content, and improved accessibility still making it a great way to play some of my favorite games. It may not be the definitive Spyro experience, but compared to the N Sane Trilogy which I believe is a massive downgrade over the originals, I'd still wholeheartedly recommend the Reignited Trilogy for both Spyro fans and newcomers to the series.

Arrested Development (Season 3)

The first half of Arrested Development's third season was not the best. The premiere was solid and resolved the season finale's cliffhangers well enough, but the initial Mr F arc was incredibly overlong, taking up over a third of the whole season when it should have just taken two-to-three-episodes. The arc was about the Bluths trying to find a mole, while Michael's has a new and quirky (eventually revealed to be mentally handicapped) British girlfriend. It's not super hilarious or compelling (outside of a specific episode that I'll mention later), and some of its jokes have not aged all that well. And right after the Mr F arc ended, we get the worst episode of the whole show: Prison Break-In, which seems to rely on gross-out and incredibly mean-spirited humor that just feels wrong for the show. It really felt like Arrested Development was starting to run out of steam...

And then the second half of Season 3 started and the quality drastically shifted. "Making A Stand" onwards was easily one of the best stretches of episodes this series has ever had, culminating in an insane four-part finale that wraps up all of the character arcs, running gags, and plot threads in a fittingly chaotic bow. I'll go more in-depth later on in the review, but it's genuinely impressive just how much manages to get paid off to the point where, by the time the series ends, I don't think there's a single loose end, not a single plot hole or unresolved storyline. Every Chekhov's Gun has been fired, every running gag has been paid off, and the final episode is a pitch-perfect bookend to the show as a whole. I know that there are two more seasons, but Season 3 is my ideal end to Arrested Development. The show wasn't perfect, but these first three seasons still form one of the most thoughtfully-crafted sitcoms I've ever seen. 

Despite a rough first half, this season still had plenty of great episodes, especially in the second half:

Mr F: While I wasn't a fan of the Mr F arc, this episode probably made the whole thing worth it. The reveal of who Mr F was and what it stood for was actually pretty funny and genius, but the real highlight of the episode was that beautifully bizarre jetpack-kaiju sequence at the end.

Making A Stand: Pier Pressure is probably the most well-liked and iconic episode of Arrested Development. So of course the show would make a sequel that completely ups the ante. The banana stand rivalry was so much fun to watch, and that final sequence of double-crossing after double-crossing was as hilarious as it was shocking and nail-biting. All of the show's best running gags popped up here, making for what feels like the definitive Arrested Development episode.

SOBs: It was apparent that this episode was shot after the series got cancelled, because this may be one of the most spiteful episodes of TV that I have ever seen. It was packed with tons of hilarious jabs at the network and clever moments of meta humor while also being an entertaining episode about the family trying to improve their reputation. Not to mention the episode is literally called "Sons Of Bitches", I wonder who that's targeted towards?

Fakin' It: Coming right after SOBs, Arrested Development absolutely does not let up with this episode serving as a hilarious and biting parodies of reality TV, as the family participates in a mock trial for George Sr. Not only does it serve as a rapid-fire series of running gags and payoffs that uses the family in its entirety, but it's also the start of Arrested Development's excellent four-part finale.

Exit Strategy: While not the funniest episode in the series, Exit Strategy is easily the most eventful, revealing that George Sr never actually committed treason at all. It's an excellent twist and results in a surprisingly satisfying ending that could've worked as the series finale, though I'm glad it wasn't because... 

Development Arrested: This series finale is pretty much perfect. It replicates the main storyline of the pilot episode to show how much the characters have developed, it resolves all of the character arcs, it's packed with insane plot twists that change your perception of the whole show, and the final sequence is Arrested Development at its chaotic best. Easily one of the best series finales ever made.

Overall, Season 3 had a bit of a rough start with the shaky Mr F arc, but the second half was the best Arrested Development had ever been, and a phenomenal ending to the series.

The first half: 3/5

The second half: 5/5

4/5 Stars

Season Ranking: 2 > 3 > 1

Finale Ranking: 3 > 1 > 2

Favorite Episode: Making A Stand

Arrested Development (Season 2)

Season 1 of Arrested Development laid the groundwork for the series. It introduced the characters, set-up all of the running gags, and created the show's comedic and slightly exaggerated world. Now that the pieces were set, Season 2 got a chance to go absolutely crazy with them.

Season 2's main storyline is about Michael's attempts at hiding his father George Sr in his attic, after he escaped from prison. Not only is this super entertaining as George Sr's attempts at hiding from the rest of the family leads to some great quality, but he's also far more active in the family's shenanigans this time around. Overall, this season was far more plot-heavy than the last one, packing in a bunch of plot twists (Buster's hand), subplots (Oscar being Buster's real father, George-Michael dating Ann), and character arcs (Gob taking over for Michael's job). All of these storylines are super entertaining and allow for all of the characters to get a lot of screentime, but they're also all played for comedy rather than story. Despite the greater emphasis on plot, Arrested Development still puts its focus on the humor, which is better than ever this time around.

Arrested Development's sense of humor is in peak form this time around, as most, if not all, of the show's iconic running gags have been introduced in Season 1, allowing for this season to play around with these jokes in unique ways. If you found yourself not quite "getting" the first season, Season 2 is the point where I realized just how tightly-knit and well-crafted this show actually is. There's a unique blend of brick jokes, Chekhov's Guns, black comedy, and meta humor that's just so entertaining to watch episode after episode. My only gripe with the season is that there just isn't enough of it, as the length is shorter than Season 1, and the quality takes a minor dip in the middle section. Despite this, Season 2 at its best has some of the funniest episodes and moments in the whole show. Back in the Season 1 review, I neglected to mention the "Next time on Arrested Development" segments which manage to be hilarious on their own due to the fact that nothing shown there actually happens in the show proper. It's usually used for funny comedic payoffs and punchlines, while being disguised as one of television's most iconic tropes.

These are some of the strongest episodes in the season:

The One Where Michael Leaves: Not only does this episode work excellently as a premiere, dragging Michael back to his family against his will, but it hilariously parodies the events of the season finale throughout. This episode also has one of the show's most iconic moments, that being Tobias's audition for the Blue Man Group.

Good Grief: This episode probably has the most black comedy in the show, and it's so funny. Its main premise is hilarious, as the family holds a funeral for George Sr, who's not only alive but watching it from the attic. The sad Charlie Brown music is one of the show's best running gags, and Gob's magic trick is one of his most hilariously disastrous.

Afternoon Delight: Easily one of the most well-crafted and thoroughly funny episodes in the whole show. All of the storylines from Gob's Christmas party, to the titular karaoke song, to Buster's crane game are entertaining in their own right, but it's the way they all manage to convergence in such a hilarious way near the end of the episode that's truly spectacular.

Motherboy XXX: This episode's kinda cute, at least in an Arrested Development way. The premise of Lucille taking George-Michael to a "mother/daughter" event is fun and gives her a lot of time to shine, but the real entertainment comes in Michael and Buster's rescue attempt, which has a lot of funny banter between the two and some top-notch physical comedy.

The Immaculate Election: This episode has a simple premise about George-Michael running for student government, but an excellent payoff with Gob's hilariously mean-spirited slander piece culminating in what can only be called George-Michael's loving tribute to "Star Wars Kid". Even the subplots are great, especially Tobias's own loving tribute, albeit this time to Mrs Doubtfire.

Meet The Veals: Meet The Veals has a decently funny main storyline, but it's the subplots that really shine this time around. Gob's Franklin subplot is so dumb it's absolutely hysterical, and the aforementioned Mrs Doubtfire reaches an amazing conclusion here. Not to mention the absolutely bonkers final sequence that features the whole cast in the same exact location.

Overall, Season 2 was a massive improvement on the first, and easily the best season in the show, with some of the funniest comedic moments in television history.

5/5 Stars

Arrested Development (Season 1)

Arrested Development is an incredibly complex sitcom, with a massive cast, tons of running gags and brick jokes, and a full interconnected family of dysfunction. Season 1 does a great job of setting up all of this complexity, even if it has a bit of a slow start.

Arrested Development has a very simple premise. Michael Bluth's family has pretty much fallen into shambles, his father was imprisoned, his mom is a selfish jerk, and his cousins are not super nice people. Thus, it's his job of keeping the family together, even if he doesn't want to. Arrested Development's story isn't anything amazing, but it has a solid amount of twists throughout, and works really well as a vehicle for the phenomenal cast, witty dialogue, and amazing sense of humor. This show's cast is absolutely massive, and is jam-packed with excellent comedic actors that all manage to steal the show from each other. There's also a narrator as voiced by Ron Howard who was a bit offputting at first, but now I can not imagine the show without him. His unrelenting frankness and brutal honesty makes tons of funny moments even funnier.

Arrested Development's humor is mostly derived from a massive spiderweb of clever running gags and reoccurring comedic threads, and part of the charm is seeing the series reuse these gags and utilize them in unique and funny ways. Even more, the meta humor (usually caused by the narrator) and the interactions between the cast are funny on their own. However, these running gags are why I actually didn't love this first season on my first viewing, as it takes a lot of time to set up all of the gags and in-jokes that people know and love the series for. It's not uncommon to feel like Season 1 of Arrested Development was a slow start for the show, but it was upon rewatching the season when I found the most enjoyment in it as I got to see how all of these in-jokes began. Even more, the second half of the season onward manages to be pretty excellent even on a first viewing.

There are plenty of strong episodes scattered throughout this first season of Arrested Development, such as:

Top Banana: I thought the pilot was pretty solid, but it's this second episode that really showed me how funny this show could be. A lot of funny smash cuts and goofy moments scattered through the episode, but it all builds up to one of the greatest punchlines in television history: "There's always money in the banana stand".

Pier Pressure: This is considered by many people to be the turning point in which this show becomes amazing, and I absolutely agree. The main storyline about trying to teach George-Michael a lesson culminates in an absolutely hysterical finale filled with crazy double-crossings, fake-outs, and clever twists.

Beef Consommé: This episode was originally supposed to be the season finale, and it works fairly well. The resolution of the Marta story arc is a lot of fun, culminating in a hilarious brawl between Michael and Gob that actually gets reused in later episodes. This episode also introduces the Never Nude running gag.

Not Without My Daughter: One of the most underrated comedic pairings in the show is Michael and Maeby, who are easily two of the more sensible members in the cast, and play off each other incredibly well. The subplots are also super entertaining, especially the shoplifting subplot, and more than ever the writing feels as sharp and consistently funny as Arrested Development at its best.

Let Them Eat Cake: The season finale is the first point at which Arrested Development starts incorporating plot twists, and it has some pretty massive ones. George Sr committed treason, the escape from the hospital, Michael driving away, there are a lot of crazy events here that left me wondering how Season 2 would resolve it all.

Overall, Arrested Development's first season has a bit of a slow start as it needs to set up all of those running gags, but it still manages to hold up through a strong second half, a distinct sense of humor, and a phenomenal cast.

4/5 Stars

Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Season 7)

Coming after Seasons 5 & 6, which were easily two of the gutsiest seasons of the show and are probably the reason Buffy is my favorite show of all time, the final season had a lot to live up to. Sadly, Season 7 was a bit of a decline in quality, but it's still a solid ending to the show.

Season 7's main storyline is about the First Evil, which is the ultimate villain that was built up to since Season 3. At first, all of the buildup is awesome as the First Evil can essentially take the form of any of the other bad guys. However, this concept isn't used fairly often, and in the latter half of the season, the First Evil mostly uses an army of Ubervamps to fight Buffy and her group. As a character, the First Evil is nothing, but its sidekick Caleb is a fun and brutal villain played by Nathan Fillon. The other major storyline are the group is Potential Slayers that are being hunted down by the First Evil, and who Buffy has to defend. I like the concept, but none of the potentials are memorable or get much screentime. The only noteworthy ones are Kennedy and Vi, the former of which is memorable for being an annoying replacement for Tara as Willow's girlfriend, and the latter of which is played by Felicia Day meaning she's more memorable for the actor than the character. My favorite aspect of the potential storyline is in regards to Dawn, who feels inadequate for not being a potential like everyone else. It's probably the best usage of her character and led to some great moments of character development. It's amazing how much more likable and mature Dawn is this season compared to the previous two.

While the main storyline is just okay, the character arcs are more of an improvement. There's Spike who has to deal with getting a soul, Anya who deals with the fallout of temporarily becoming a demon again, Buffy who starts isolating herself due to her role as the slayer only to get kicked off the Scoobies because of it (I know people don't like this arc, but I think it's a great culmination of the series), and Willow who spends time atoning for her time as Dark Willow. Even Faith returns in the final third, fully redeemed after the events of Angel. Pacing-wise, Season 7 definitely suffers compared to the other seasons. It has a strong first third that deals with the events of Season 6 while including some light and fun standalones, and the final third is a satisfying and packed ending to the season. However, the stretch between the first appearance of the Ubervamps and Faith's return is an absolute slog, as the lack of standalones or big plot twists means that the show gets stale quick. There are two episodes in a row that both end with Buffy giving a rousing speech to the potentials and fighting an Ubervamp. Don't get me wrong, there are some solid episodes in this middle section (Potential, Storyteller), but it drags down the season a lot.

Thankfully, there are a lot of great episodes near the start and end of this season:

Selfless: Anya is one of the show's strongest characters, and her focus episode this season is one of its highest points. For most of the episode, Anya faces the consequences for all of her actions as a vengeance demon, and the flashbacks scattered across the episode both flesh out Anya's character and the history of minor characters like Olaf and Hallifrek.

Conversations With Dead People: This episode is one of the best in the series, and manages to surpass the whole rest of the season in terms of quality. As you'd expect from the title, this whole episode is dialogue, as the First Evil makes itself known to Dawn, Willow, and Andrew. I especially like Dawn's part which is just straight-up a horror film. The subplot about Buffy chatting with a vampire is also pretty cute, and actually amounts of the reveal that Spike is still siring people even with his soul.

Potential: I already mentioned how much I like Dawn's character arc this season, and this episode has her prove that she can be as much of a hero as all of the other potentials without any special abilities or pre-determined destiny. An inspiring episode that showcases just why I like Dawn as a character so much.

Dirty Girls: Faith is back! Given how low energy a lot of the season was, her reappearance gives the season one big jolt to keep it thrilling until the series finale. The big battle with Caleb in the vineyard is probably the best fight scene of the whole season, and Xander's eye incident is a devastating moment that drastically raises the stakes.

End Of Days: This episode begins the final battle with the First Evil, as the Scoobies finally get past their conflict with Buffy. It's a great setup for the series finale with a fun final battle with Caleb, and an incredibly exciting scene where Angel finally returns to the show for the first time since Season 4.

Chosen: Even with my gripes with the season, Buffy still knows how to nail an ending. The dialogue is probably the best its been in a while, most of the cast gets some moment to shine (or die in the case of Anya), and the big final battle is just pure spectacle and excitement. But it's the emotional moments that really stand out, from Angel's goodbye, to Spike's sacrifice, to that final scene, to probably the best scene of the season where Willow awakens the abilities of pretty much every single slayer. It's an absolutely genius twist that feels fresh in a way most of this season struggled to be. Chosen is a really strong final episode that Buffy absolutely deserves.

Overall, Season 7 suffers from pacing issues and a lack of energy, but it has a strong start and end, and manages to finish Buffy off on a strong note when all is said and done.

3/5 Stars

My ranking of the Buffy seasons is:

1. Season 3: Easily the most solid season of the bunch. The villains are great, each episode feels like it's better than the last, there's a great balance of angst and inventive comedy, and the finale kicks ass.
2. Season 5: It takes a bit of time to get going, but once Joyce dies, Season 5 becomes one of the most dramatic, gripping, and intense season of the show, with one of my favorite antagonists.
3. Season 2: While some of the episodic stuff is inconsistent, the main storylines really make up for it. Spike gets a fantastic introduction, and Angelus is hands down the series' best villain.
4. Season 6: Season 6 is complicated, ambitious, messy, and very hard to watch, but I admire its attempt to deal with the struggles of adulthood, life, and depression. It has some really high highs to it.
5. Season 4: Season 4 may be inconsistent and the Initiative storyline may suck, but it also has a really calming and chill vibe and plenty of the funniest and most creative standalone episodes in the series.
6. Season 7: Season 7 isn't a bad season and it has its moments, especially in the start and end, but it's easily the least remarkable of the seasons and drags a lot in the middle.
7. Season 1: Season 1 is really cheesy and doesn't have many truly standout episodes, but it shows a lot of potential and the ending is still really great.

And my ranking of the Buffy finales is:

1. Graduation Day: A super bombastic and crazy finale that doubles as both a fun and satisfying final battle as well as a great farewell to Sunnydale High, with everyone getting time to shine.
2. The Gift: I'm glad this wasn't the finale, but Buffy's last stand was a killer episode of television, with great action, an incredibly tense conflict, and a truly heartwrenching ending.
3. Becoming: While it may focus a bit too much on Buffy herself, Becoming is still a fantastic ending to the Angelus plot with a great final battle, heartwrenching resolution, and a pretty massive destruction of the status quo.
4. Chosen: Chosen is a fun and satisfying final battle that ends Buffy on a pretty heartwarming note, and the episode's big twist is easily the best part of the whole thing.
5. Restless: It may be just a dream sequence, but it's a very visually creative dream sequence, one with a lot of foreshadowing for future seasons.
6. Grave: While paced a bit strangely, Grave still has a lot to love between Xander being the one to stop Dark Willow and the reveal that Spike is getting a soul.
7. Prophecy Girl: Prophecy Girl may be a bit quaint compared to the other finales, but Buffy's storyline about not wanting to die holds up great, and it solidifes Cordelia as a member of the team. 

Favorite Episode: The Body

One last thing, since this is my favorite show of all time after all:

Buffy The Vampire Slayer isn't perfect. Some plot elements haven't aged well, some episodes are cheesy and dumb, and it's had some serious drama behind the scenes, but I hold the belief that no show needs to be "perfect" with zero faults whatsoever. Not everything Buffy did have to work, but it was its willingness to take risks, to experiment, and to just go crazy that makes the show what it is. Between the stellar dialogue, the lovable cast of characters, the mature themes, the drastic shifts in tone, the fun action, surprisingly good score, goofy but charming special effects, satisfying season endings, and crazy plot twists, all headed by one of the greatest writer's room ever brought together, Buffy The Vampire Slayer really has everything I love about television. It's a unique mix of genres that I doubt I'm ever going to forget, and will always have a place in my heart, faults and all.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Season 6)

Season 6 is an incredibly messy, divisive, and dark season, as it deals with depression, splits up its cast, and generally has some of the darkest moments in the show. Not all of it works, but when it does, it works brilliantly.

Buffy's sixth season mostly revolves around Buffy being dragged out of heaven and the depression that comes with having to lead such a complicated adult life on her own. Buffy spends most of the season depressed, and it can be hard to watch at times, but Sarah Michelle Geller acts her heart out here and her general character arc of overcoming depression is incredibly powerful and resonant. She also needs to get a job and start taking care of Joyce's house, which is fairly compelling but could still have been explored more. Buffy ends up dating Spike early on in the season, but their relationship is abusive on both sides, and its ugly fallout causes Spike to realize he needs a soul like Angel and Buffy to realize that Spike had been dragging her further down into depression. I like that Spike and Buffy's relationship was as much of a disaster as it was, but it left me completely abandoning my interest in them getting together. Willow has a character arc about getting addicted to magic which was fairly Anvillous at times, but it results in her becoming the villain in the last few episodes after Tara's death causes her to snap. Personally, I loved this Dark Wllow story arc, even if Tara's death was pretty blatant Bury Your Gays. There's also Giles leaving Buffy alone, Xander realizing he's not ready to marry Anya, and Dawn's kleptomania, which all show that this season is far more character-driven than the others. Not all of these storylines are handled the most gracefully, but I like that the defacto villain of the season is life itself. As a result, to this day, I think Season 6 is still one of the best depictions of how difficult it can be to adjust to adulthood.

While I did say that the conflict of Season 6 is based around the characters, there is still a technical villain in The Trio, a group of nerds from previous seasons that band together to do crimes. I don't love The Trio, but I admire just how well they aged. The kind of toxic masculinity and sexism that Andrew, Jonathon, and especially Warren show throughout this season was rarely addressed at the time, so it's neat to see such a negative depiction of them. Despite not being world-ending threats, they're still just as terrifying as any other villain, especially when Warren waltzes onto Buffy's backyard with a gun. Generally, Season 6 is dark and grim and tough to watch, but the show does a solid job of adding in some humor every once in a while. Not all of the attempts work (Doublemeat Palace especially), but Season 6 still manages to include some of the show's best and funniest episodes, especially the one-two punch of Once More With Feeling and Tabula Rasa. Speaking of which:

Once More With Feeling: Easily one of the best musical episodes of time, Once More With Feeling's music, while not spectacular, is entirely original and packed with witty lines and memorable moments of humor. The whole episode is just so much fun throughout, though they also manage to progress the plot by having everyone reveal their secrets in a similar fashion to Hush.

Tabula Rasa: Tabula Rasa is my favorite Buffy episode of them all, or at least it's more rewatchable than The Body. I'm not a fan of amnesia storylines, but the collective amnesia in this episode leads to thirty minutes of pure, unadulterated hilarity, both in the dialogue and everyone's acting. But I also love how all that humor was just a distraction for that gut punch of a final montage. Oh, and there's a literal loan shark. Comedy gold!

Normal Again: Is Buffy really hallucinating the events of the series? No, of course not. But it's fun to imagine, and it's rare for a show to explore these bizarre theories just for the hell of it. I also like how the storyline factors into Buffy's depressive state, along with the ambiguous ending just to have extra fun with the audience.

Seeing Red: Seeing Red is probably, objectively, the most reprehensible episode of Buffy. Not only does it have a very hard to watch attempted rape scene, but it also Buries A Gay with Tara's death. I totally understand if you utterly despise this episode, but I always had a fondness for Seeing Red, at least thematically. It's a really relentless episode with a rapid fire of devastating moments, wild twists, and a complete and utter destruction of the status quo. The aforementioned rape scene didn't really feel like it was there for shock value, it was a necessary moment for Spike to really crosses the line, really hammering home that his relationship with Buffy is completely toxic and unsustainable, and that the best thing for both of them is to stay far away from each other. As for Tara's death, it's definitely up there as one of the most shameless "Fuck you, Whedon" moments in the entire Buffyverse, and sets up one of my personal favorite character arcs in the series (the Dark Willow arc). So for all its flaws and clunkiness, Seeing Red is and has always been a bit of a classic.

Villains: Even though Willow snapped last episode, I like how Villains doesn't just have her immediately switch to a villain. Rather, she slowly isolates herself from her friends and seeks darker and darker methods of punishment until that shocking final scene where she flays Warren alive, solidifying her turn to a bad guy and etching the term "bored now" into my brain for the rest of my life.

Grave: This is generally one of the messier finales, but it's still a pretty strong ending to the season. Giles returns, The Magic Box is destroyed, and we learn that Spike's goal was to get a soul. I'm not a fan of how it sidelined Buffy herself, but the fact that it was Xander who defeated Dark Willow through friendship alone was such a great moment for the character. And between Willow finally facing her grief and Buffy finally overcoming her depression, this was a fittingly satisfying and heartwarming finale.

Overall, Season 6 is a bit of a mess, but it's a compelling mess with tons of creative storylines, mature themes, and a hell of a lot to say. Not all of its risks end up paying off, but the fact that most of this season manages to resonate as well as it does is a testament to its quality.

4/5 Stars

Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Season 5)

Season 5 of Buffy signals a drastic tone shift for the series, as it switches from a light supernatural school show with some drama to a far darker supernatural drama that deals with being an adult, and it starts by making one of the gutsiest plot twists I've ever seen in a show, ultimately pulling it off.

The season premiere of Buffy's fifth season is pretty much genius, as it mostly seems like your average Buffy fare. There's no overarching villain or big resolutions, it's just a fun episode with Dracula and some witty banter. However, at the very end, we learn that Buffy suddenly has a sister, setting the stage for a drastically different season with a focus on family. While suddenly giving Buffy a sister may seem like a dumb continuity error, this was all intentional, as we learn that Buffy's new sister Dawn was cosmically inserted into reality, and is being pursued by the villainous hell god Glory. As a character, Dawn can be a bit annoying like any younger sister, but she does become more compelling as she learns more about her origins, and eventually I did start caring about her just like any other character. As for Glory, she's probably the show's best villain. Glory is one of those villains who just seems to enjoy being evil, her fight scenes with Buffy are great, and her larger-than-life personality is so much fun to watch. As for the rest of the cast, the show starts shifting away from college (and Riley), as the characters' relations to each other get far more focus. The season explores Anya's adjustment into the Scoobies, Giles' role as Buffy's watcher, Tara's relationship with Willow and the Scoobies as a whole, and especially Buffy's mother Joyce, who gets an entire storyline to herself culminating in her heartbreaking death.

Despite the generally darker tone, Season 5 of Buffy still knows how to have fun. There are plenty of goofy characters and moments like the Knights Of Byzantium, the Buffybot, Spike's crush on Buffy, and the aforementioned fight with Dracula. Similarly to Season 3, there's a great balance between creative standalone episodes and dramatic plot episodes, and the pacing is generally pretty strong. And as you'd expect from Buffy at this point, it manages to bring everything together for a stellar final episode, which even works fairly well as a series finale due to this originally being the final season. As for the weak points, Riley is probably the most glaring issue with the season. He was fine during the Initiative arc, but now, he just feels useless and I'm glad he was written out. On the other hand, I'm glad Anya got a lot more focus during the season, as she's an incredibly entertaining character who has a strong dynamic with the rest of the team. 

Season 5 is chock-full of amazing episodes, so here are the highlights: 

Family: This is only Tara-centric episode in the series (which kinda sucks), but at least it's a great one. It's always a compelling struggle when your parents want you to be something you're note, but all of Tara's friends coming to her defense against her parents is one of the sweetest moments in the show and pretty much solidifies her as member of the group.

Fool For Love: I have my issues with Buffy and Angel's flashback episodes as they tend to lack much plot progression or insights that warrant the usage of a flashback, but Fool For Love is my favorite because of its intriguing premise: How did Spike manage to kill two slayers? After his fairly light-hearted portrayal in Season 4, this is one of Spike's most badass episodes and serves as an impactful reminder that even though he's part of the team, he's still a vampire who can do whatever the hell he wants.

Blood Ties: This was probably the episode that made me warm up to Dawn, as seeing her reaction to learning she wasn't supposed to exist is easily one of the most heartbreaking moments in the show. Even if you found her annoying, you can't help but feel bad for the poor kid. It also solidifies Dawn's entertaining dynamic with Spike.

The Body: The Body probably isn't my favorite episode of the show (that's next season), it's definitely the best one for sure. After all of the supernatural melodrama, there's still nothing more devastating or terrifying than a natural death, and the exploration of how everyone deals with Joyce's death is as hard to watch as it is fascinating. Not to mention just how many iconic and impactful moments there are, there's that fifteen-minute-long take at the start of the episode, Tara and Willow's first on-screen kiss, that one terrifying vampire in the hospital, Xander punching the wall, and most heartbreaking of all, Anya's "fruit punch" speech that nearly drove me to tears. Easily one of the greatest episodes of TV ever made.

Intervention: Compared to later seasons, Spike's feelings for Buffy was played for a lot more comedy this season, and the Buffybot subplot resulted in just so many hilarious interactions. It was also super cool to see the First Slayer return, resolving some of the mysteries set up back in Restless.

Spiral: I liked the whole road trip aspect of this episode, and as goofy as the Knights Of Byzantium are, I'd be lying if I said the car chase with them wasn't insanely thrilling. I also loved the gut punch of an ending which had Dawn kidnapped, the knights brutally slaughtered, and Buffy left comatose.

The Gift: Another top-notch season ender that pretty much has it all. The final battle with Glory is easily one of the largest and most bombastic setpieces in the show, and Buffy's sacrifice for Dawn was a beautiful and heartbreaking scene to end of the season. Not to mention, Giles's shockingly brutal killing of Glory's counterpart Ben and Xander's heartwarming proposal to Anya.

Overall, Season 5 is hands-down one of the strongest seasons of the show, taking a bold move that paid off fairly well, while maintaining a nearly perfect balance of comedy, drama, and character.

5/5 Stars